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Dear Supporters,Please contact the housing staffer in your Representative's office and ask that your Representative sign the HOPWA letter being circulated by Rep. Nadler.
This letter, addressed to the Chair and Ranking Member of the House Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Subcommittee, requests that the Subcommittee fund the Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA) program at $362 million for FY2012.
The text of the "Dear Colleague" letter sent by Rep. Nadler and the letter to the Subcommittee Chair and Ranking Member are below. The letter closes on April 28, so PLEASE ACT NOW!
>Call the Capitol Switchboard at 202-225-3121 and ask for your Representative's office.
>Ask to speak to the housing or health staffer and request that your member co-sign the HOPWA letter led by Rep. Nadler
Thanks for all you do,
The Friends of AIDS Foundation
Support the HOPWA Program
Dear Colleague:
We are writing to ask that you join us in sending the attached letter to the Appropriations Committee urging a funding level of $362 million for the Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA) program for FY 2012. HOPWA, which enjoys wide bipartisan support, is the only federal housing program that specifically provides cities and states hardest hit by the AIDS epidemic with the resources to address the housing crisis facing people living with HIV/AIDS.
Advances in treatment have offered new hope to people living with HIV/AIDS, but the costs associated with these treatments often force people to decide between essential medications and other necessities, such as housing. HOPWA answers this need, providing affordable housing to thousands of Americans battling HIV/AIDS. In light of budget realities, however, we ask that you join us in requesting $362 million to help those in the greatest need.
Improvements in housing status are strongly linked to lower rates of HIV risk behaviors and increased likelihood of access and adherence to care. A study in the journal AIDS and Behavior found that over a 12-year period, housing status and receipt of housing assistance consistently predicted entry and retention in HIV medical care. Housing is a cost-effective method of preventing transmission of HIV.
Locally controlled, HOPWA provides maximum flexibility to states and communities to design and implement strategies that respond to local housing needs. $362 million will reduce waiting lists for housing, help communities develop new housing for people with HIV/AIDS, and provide rental assistance to keep people in their homes. Please join us in sending the following letter to the Appropriations Committee requesting that this program be adequately funded to meet the growing needs of those living with HIV and AIDS.
If you have any questions, or you would like to sign on to the letter, please contact Kim Corbin in Rep. Nadler's office at ext. 5-5635 or Kevin Casey in Rep. Crowley's office at ext. 5-3965.
Sincerely,
Jerrold Nadler, Member of Congress
Joseph Crowley, Member of Congress
_______________________________
Dear Chairman Latham and Ranking Member Olver:
We write to request a funding level of $362 million for the Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA) program for Fiscal Year 2012, a modest increase from the FY2011 amount of $334.5 million. The HOPWA program, which enjoys wide bipartisan support, is the only federal housing program that specifically provides cities and states with resources to address the housing crisis facing people living with HIV/AIDS. Despite consistent support from the committee and the steady increase in annual appropriations, the growing demand for services under the HOPWA program requires an increase this year.
AIDS housing experts project that half of the 1.1 million people with HIV/AIDS in the U.S. will need some form of housing assistance during the course of their illness. Yet, the HOPWA program currently serves fewer than 60,000 households. To provide housing to another 11,000 households in need, the National AIDS Housing Coalition has recommended an appropriation of $427 million. In light of budget realities, we are requesting an appropriation of $362 million, a modest increase over the FY2011 funding level to assist an additional 4,100 households with the greatest need, as well as make several additional jurisdictions eligible for funding.
Homeless and unstably housed HIV-infected people experience higher viral loads and more hospitalizations than those who are stably housed. Inadequate housing is not only a barrier to effective treatment, but also puts people with HIV/AIDS at risk of premature death from exposure to other diseases, poor nutrition, stress, and lack of medical care. Research shows that stable housing prevents new HIV infections, improves HIV health outcomes, reduces mortality, and decreases the use of expensive emergency and hospital services. Housing interventions are critical in our continued fight against HIV/AIDS, and even modest investments in stable housing saves federal and state tax dollars.
HOPWA has provided a national safety net for people battling HIV/AIDS since 1992. At any given time, one-third to one-half of all Americans with HIV/AIDS are either homeless or in imminent danger of losing their homes. HOPWA enables cities and states to design and provide community-based, cost-effective housing for people living with HIV/AIDS and their families with maximum flexibility to meet local needs. In addition, the administrative costs of the program are capped, ensuring the money goes directly to serving people with HIV/AIDS.
HOPWA funds will continue to provide housing assistance across all 50 states, including the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands through competitive and formula grants. Unfortunately, the demand for housing accommodations greatly outweighs the resources currently available for people living with HIV/AIDS.
HOPWA remains an essential component in the array of programs needed to assure the availability of safe, affordable housing for low-income people with HIV/AIDS. Therefore, we urge the Committee to recommend funding for HOPWA at $362 million for FY2012 so that this that the housing need of the most vulnerable.
Thank you for your consideration of this request.
Sincerely,
___________________________________
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org/.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
